Expressing concern over the rare breed of two-humped camels being used for tourism activities in Ladakh, former Union Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Monday said that the species be used only for dairy purposes.

Gandhi called on Lt Governor Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra retired at Leh and stressed for providing proper shelter for the camels and proposed that their milk be utilised for dairy purposes.

The L-G directed the director animal husbandry to formulate a plan to promote camel dairies and to ensure shelter for camels in Nubra valley.

It is worth mentioning that the rare species of double hump camel is found in India only in Ladakh’s Nubra valley where the population of the animal had dropped to only 36 about ten years ago when the bactrian was struggling for its survival. The population of this species of camel a few years ago was 166 and was expected to go up more than 200.

The double humped camel was being used as a tourist attraction in the Hunder, Sumoor, Diskit and Tigger areas of the Nubra valley where the owners charge a sum of about Rs.300 for a 15 minute ride and provide a photo-shoot opportunity to tourists whose footfall has increased in Ladakh.

The sand dunes festival at Hunder in July attracts a large number of tourists who enjoy the ride on the double humped camels during the two days festival.

The number of double humped camels has considerably declined in Ladakh where a good number of these camels would be seen on the streets of Leh a couple of years ago, but due to urbanisation and modern means of transportation reaching there the camels were shifted to the Nubra valley.

Gandhi also took up the issue of the growing number of stray dogs in Ladakh and informed the LG about the order issued by the Deputy Commissioner Leh regarding putting a stop on the throwing of leftover food on the roads and other reachable places by feral dogs and sought the L-G’s intervention into the matter.

She discussed the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programme in Ladakh and emphasised the need to allow the people to feed dogs in designated areas and ensured that both male and female dogs are sterilised to control the dog population. She suggested that sterilised dogs be tagged and returned to their original locations.

Gandhi suggested that the UT Administration should sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chamba Animal Welfare Society, Leh to implement the ABC programme, noting that the organisation has trained personnel in Delhi for the ABC programme.

She assured the L-G that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) would be provided regarding the dog sterilisation programme in Ladakh.

The L-G informed Gandhi about the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh’s order to maintain hygiene in municipal areas and the Deputy Commissioner’s order banning the feeding of dogs.

He requested Gandhi to initiate a flagship project for the ABC Programme in Ladakh. He also ordered the Director Animal Husbandry to take the necessary initiatives for the ABC Programme in collaboration with the organisation headed by Maneka Gandhi.